Different Ways to Hide Money at Home

The safest place to keep your money is in a bank. Failing that, a safe bolted securely to the ground may keep your money from being stolen. However, if these two options aren't possible and you must hide your money in your home, there are several different approaches you can consider.

Leave a Decoy

Robbers enter a home with the intent of finding valuables. The quicker they find the valuables, the quicker they're likely to leave. Thus, it's a good idea to leave some money in a relatively predictable location like on top of a dresser or in a dresser drawer. When the robber finds the money, he may think he has found all there is to find. The amount of money you choose to leave out as a decoy should be determined by the outward appearance of wealth in your neighborhood. If you live in a wealthy neighborhood, a $20 decoy isn't likely to deter a robber.

Taped or Tucked

You might choose to hide money at home by taping it to a rarely examined surface like the underside of a drawer or the underside of a heavy piece of furniture. Others tuck the money between the pages of books. While these steps may keep the money from being found quickly, it isn't likely to prevent the money from being found eventually, assuming the robber is persistent.

Camouflaged

Another option for hiding money is to camouflage the money in a container that wouldn't otherwise draw a robber's attention. For example, money can be placed in a soup can that's been cleaned out for that purpose and placed among other soup cans of the same design. Hairspray cans and paint cans can serve the same purpose. There are some companies that produce and sell fake cans for hiding money. However, copyright laws prevent the makers of these items from duplicating popular labels, and the faux label may tip the robber off. Thus, making your own can is wiser.

Amid the Minutia

There are a number of excellent hiding places amid the minutia of daily life. For example, the money might be placed in a plastic bag which is then placed beneath the garbage bag already in use. Or you might tuck your cash into the paper towel roll that is currently in use. It's highly unlikely that a burglar will find the money in these locations. However, it's reasonably possible that the money will accidentally be discarded, so be sure to keep that in mind when making your decision.